2013 Knolly Bikes Podium
- Thread starter sethimus
- Start date
I second that!
This ^ Looks like Xzibit got hold of the design...
+rep
Cant see from the pic. Is it a single pivot rear triangle? If so, it seems to me that they could have gotten the same leverage curves etc with less pivots.
And Muhammad Ali applied the graphics.
I spy Chris Glew.
I think Knolly makes some amazing bikes.
Where do you see that number. The site says 17.6?
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Horst link.
It also has an un-interrupted seat tube. Handy if you like freeriding.
That's the reason for the extra links.
It has two more pivots than a short link 4-bar ala dw/vpp using which you can get any brake response/shock leverage ratio you want.
As I understand it, it was done to get around the FSR patent, though he might have done it just for a bit extra seat tube, seems a bit over the top.
As I understand it, it was done to get around the FSR patent, though he might have done it just for a bit extra seat tube, seems a bit over the top.
Having unnecessary complicated suspension system makes the brand stand out in a really negative way, at least for me.
For example GT bikes would be really sweet without that stupid I-drive semi-URT design. Same goes for Lapierre, drop the Pendbox and I will take the DH bike seriously again.
For those who say you need this Knolly 7-pivot design to have uniterrupted seattube, look at Specialized Status for instance.
For example GT bikes would be really sweet without that stupid I-drive semi-URT design. Same goes for Lapierre, drop the Pendbox and I will take the DH bike seriously again.
For those who say you need this Knolly 7-pivot design to have uniterrupted seattube, look at Specialized Status for instance.
If the hardware is good I see no reason to complain. The light year long chainstay was a bigger problem here. That and the fact that the previous model looked kinda strange compared to the great looking proto. It's a valid option though unless I get to test ride a jedi I doubt I will change my legend for anything non carbon now. I see little substantial progress in bikes from ca 2010 outside of new materials.
Your comparing a honda civic in the status to a ferrari. Knolly 4x4 suspension is pretty much bullet proof. Knolly bikes are function over form and they function very very well.
the ignorant ones here are those who haven't ridden one yet. i pity those fools
I tried not to get sucked into a response for such a frikken lame ass thread. Knolly is building incredible bikes that are durable and perform flawlessly. Havent heard of a negative review, zero quality issues and geo is spot on. The suspension platform is supple, nice and progressive at the end but still jumps like a dream.......... Sh!t I am I am talking to a bunch of people that look at a picture and speculate. What a waste of time. Long chainstays, feck the bike was built to go fast. This is not a Wallmart bike. People buy Knolly because they get what they are looking for and they know what they want. 17.5" is not long for a race rig and believe me Knoel is listening. If the peeps are not happy then expect changes, in fact I believe 2013 will see some changes which might make you a little happier.
Finally what I've always wanted in a DH race bike, a vertical, uninterrupted seat tube. If only it had a water bottle mount too.
I dig the green though, and the integrated bumpers.
Looks nice.
I rode a friend's Podium around a bit, took it down a few hills. Felt good, low. The only thing I didn't care for was the extremely long rear end. He didn't care for it either, which is why he ended up selling it.
We did all agree that the finish was amazing, welds were beautiful. Bike looked sharp, well executed.
I rode a friend's Podium around a bit, took it down a few hills. Felt good, low. The only thing I didn't care for was the extremely long rear end. He didn't care for it either, which is why he ended up selling it.
We did all agree that the finish was amazing, welds were beautiful. Bike looked sharp, well executed.
it's actually slightly degressive at the end but not so much shock can't make up for it.
this is not pinkbike, dawg.
17.6 is very very long for a race rig. I would not describe it as "jumping like a dream" so much as "wallowing like a cow" (at least when it comes to anything that involves getting the wheels off the ground).
it does go fast well, and it will go even faster once they shorten the chainstays and lengthen the top tube. The suspension is dialed, I'd like to see that remain the same, and it'll be fycking baddass. Basically, the current iteration is a "skip" because there are too many good bikes on the market, but once those CS get shortened, it'll be wicked.
It depends where you race. I agree that for most riding and racing 17.6 is Loooong though that also should depend on the wheelpath but if I only rode WC and top tracks in yurp I'd gladly take that CS length.
Also some adjustable frames offer going that long. Commencal I think went to 17.75 or 18 in their previous model. Last year Gee bike was 18.25''.
Specializeds (how the hell do you pronounce that?) have 4 chainstays. People love them. How do you explain that? I can't understand a regressive shock rate nor the "uninterrupted seat tube", but otherwise knolly is known to make a good bike, even if it is made in taiwan 
This IS their lighter, simpler streamlined bike, as opposed to their others. They aren't bad, but they are an FSR-go-around, nothing that can't be achieved with one linkage and most likely less weight. Their V-tach was something like 13+lb with coil shock, Delerium was 11 with same. They came out with a streamlined delerium and dropped a ton of weight. The knolly philosophy has been "overbuilt" from the beginning, as if they are not really intended to win any races, but who can knock them for building something that can run season after season? The main issue was the bikes were so overbuilt as to be counter-productive for most users (lugging lots of extra lbs). It's probably not the best way to market/sell bikes, but they got their followers. I also think suspension has progressed a good deal beyond what these offer, but again their philosophy is a bit different...
Ridden what a podium or a status? I ride a podium every weekend. great bike that handles very will and jumps amazing. I've never ridden a status but I rode a 2012 demo once and the podium handled better, but it wasn't a fair comparison though because that demo was setup with entry level components and wasn't really tuned for me. I also had a 2012 glory that i built up (it's currently for sale), imo the podium was a better handling bike than that as well, at least for me it was.the ignorant ones here are those who haven't ridden one yet. i pity those fools
I haven't ridden the new podium but I can bet it will be lighter and handle just as good or better than the current model. Love it or hate it knolly's 4x4 suspension has been proven reliable and has been used at events like the 2010 redbull rampage.
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nobody's saying it doesn't work/is unreliable - it's more complex and probably heavier than necessary, there are extra sets of bearings to change when they die.
if it really is a fsr patent workaround (if it's not it's plain nonsense aiming at tool customers with no ability to think critically), it will be gone when the patent expires which i've read somewhere should happen soon. if it's not gone by then, you can put knolly in the same basket with ellsworth.
if it really is a fsr patent workaround (if it's not it's plain nonsense aiming at tool customers with no ability to think critically), it will be gone when the patent expires which i've read somewhere should happen soon. if it's not gone by then, you can put knolly in the same basket with ellsworth.
Take that back!
But your right, knolly's suspension design is a bit busy and too a lot of people, really ugly. When I first saw a knolly delirium t 3 years ago I thought it was hideous until about a year later when I got to ride a delirium, which later resulted in me buying one. It's basically an fsr stacked on top of an fsr. Never heard about the patent issue, so I doubt there is one.
this frame is supposed to weigh 10.5 lbs with shock. the new sworks demo carbon weighs 10.2 lbs with with shock so not so bad there.
chainstay length is 17.5 and is part of the bike's geo and not its defining figure.the old model could jump quite well and this one is a tad shorter.
the linkage is "complicated", however it works beautifully and the maintenance on it is close to zero so whats the problem ?
i agree that for this frame's msrp one could prefer carbon but there are apparently still allot of people that do not trust carbon for dh yet and most carbon dh frames are becoming much more expensive (303 - 3.5k , session 9.9 - 4.2k ... )
finally, regarding looks - for each is own
chainstay length is 17.5 and is part of the bike's geo and not its defining figure.the old model could jump quite well and this one is a tad shorter.
the linkage is "complicated", however it works beautifully and the maintenance on it is close to zero so whats the problem ?
i agree that for this frame's msrp one could prefer carbon but there are apparently still allot of people that do not trust carbon for dh yet and most carbon dh frames are becoming much more expensive (303 - 3.5k , session 9.9 - 4.2k ... )
finally, regarding looks - for each is own
The funniest thing about this thread is the long chainstay comments. 17.5 is pretty much standard.
I put my M9 in the long 17.75 setting and actually felt the bike come alive even more. The rear end actually breaks loose to a drift much easier for me. After thinking about it, I'm guessing it's due to weight transfer. (Rider weight shifted even farther forward from the rear wheel...)
I can still get the front wheel up when I need to, but I'm not riding manuals down skinnys Wade godfather style...
I put my M9 in the long 17.75 setting and actually felt the bike come alive even more. The rear end actually breaks loose to a drift much easier for me. After thinking about it, I'm guessing it's due to weight transfer. (Rider weight shifted even farther forward from the rear wheel...)
I can still get the front wheel up when I need to, but I'm not riding manuals down skinnys Wade godfather style...
True, on paper the bike doesn't stray far from the current norm.
In regards to my comment, I was just relating how the bike felt to me on the trail. It just felt long. Wasn't necessarily a bad thing, just different and I'm sure something I would probably get used to. But for the short time I was on it, it felt awkward.
<-- podium rider from day 1
Once again, have you seen a Specialized Demo? They've been around for a little while now...
But Demo does not have seven pivots.
I like Colin Chapman way of making racing equipment, keep it as light and simple as possible.
Four pivots is still alright, seven is overkill in my opinion even if the actual bike rides well.
I like Colin Chapman way of making racing equipment, keep it as light and simple as possible.
Four pivots is still alright, seven is overkill in my opinion even if the actual bike rides well.
the second chainstay actually makes some sense on the latest demos. on the knolly it really is - yo dawg, we heard you like your shock to be driven by links so we put a link on a link to drive your shock.